The Fraidees Mountain (Herodion)
Herodion is located 10 kms east of Bethlehem
and 15 kms south of Jerusalem. It can be reached via the road that passes
Beit Sahur to Takou' village. The mountain rises 758 meters above sea level
over- looking Jerusalem and Bethlehem and the Jordan Valley and the Dead
Sea. The mountain and most if its buildings were constructed in the Early
Roman Period, the reign of Herod the Great (37-4 BC). The work was completed
around 20 BC. It is the only work of Herod that bears his name. The palace
was inherited by Herod's son Archilaus who governed Palestine between 4
BC and AD 6. After his death the palace was turned to the Roman governors
of Palestine. In AD 66, Jewish rebels known as the Zealots took over the
mountain and kept it for four years, after which they were defeated by
the Romans. The site was then abandoned until AD 132 when yet another Jewish
revolt broke out. The Romans crushed this revolt in 135. Between the 4th
and 7th centuries AD, the site was settled by a group of Byzantine
monks who inhabited the foot of the hill under the Moslem conquest. During
the Crusaders' era, agroup of Franciscan crusaders occupied the hill before
the Moslems conquered it again. It seems that the recent name of the site
has something to do with those Franciscans. The Arabic name "Fraidees"
or "Jabal al-Efranj" is similar to the name used by some European travelers,
Mountain of the Franks. However, some interpret the name to mean paradise
from the Arab term "Fardous". Herodion is a unique archaeological site
and one of the greatest architectural achievements of Herod. It is composed
of a natural hill on top of which an artificial one has been added. The
mountain is conial in shape with a circular castle on the crown. It was
utilized as a summer palace, a shelter in times of danger, a regional capital,
and a burial place for the King. At the foot of the Fraidees mountain stands
a small Arab village called Za'atara, and next to it on the land of the
village is a small Jewish military settlement called Takou. Tourists can
visit the hill and the tunnels daily between 8:00 - 15:00. The entrance
fee to the mountain is about US$ 4. Visiting lower Herodion is free of
charge.
Source: PACE Guide to Palestine
The Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives is the mountain that Jesus
visited regularly for meditation and worship. Rising about 100 meters above
the Old City in the east, it offers a magnificent view of the city. The
Mount is associated with several events related to Christ, which explains
the presence of several churches. The church of Pater Noster was built
on the place where Jesus taught his disciples the Lord's prayer. The prayer
is written on the walls of the church in 62 languages. The Chapel of the
Ascension is on top of the mountain not far from the church of Pater Noster.
From here Jesus ascended to heaven after blessing his disciples. The church
of Domnius Flevit is situated at the beginning of the de- scent towards
Kidron valley. It was built in 1890 to commemorate Christ's weeping over
Jerusalem. The church was designed to resemble a tear shaped shrine. The
Russian church of Saint Mary Magdalene is a little further down the hill,
and was built by Czar Alexander III in 1888. With its seven golden onion-shaped
spires, it is one of the most attractive churches in Jerusalem. The Church
of the Virgin Mary, in the Kidron valley, marks the traditional place of
her Assumption. The Crusaders built this church in the 12th century because,
according to tradition, Mary was buried here. It replaced an earlier Byzantine
Basilica.